1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fitting, in particular for a vehicle seat, having a first fitting part, having a second fitting part which is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the first fitting part, having a locking bolt, which is guided displaceably in a radial direction of displacement on the first fitting part, to form a locking mechanism with the second fitting part, and having a driving element which is arranged movably between the fitting parts for the radial deployment and retraction of the locking bolt.
2. Description of the Background Art
A fitting of this type is used in particular for the positionable adjusting of a back rest of a vehicle seat relative to the seat base. For this purpose, for example, first the locking bolt is retracted by means of an operating lever via the driving element from its locking position, in which both fitting parts are locked relative to one another. Next, the fitting parts are adjusted relative to one another until a desired target position is reached, particularly by an inclination adjustment of the attached back rest, and the operating lever is released. The locking bolt, which is usually pretensioned by the driving element for the locking position, then returns to the locking position, so that the two fitting parts are now again locked in the target position. The back rest inclination is shifted and locked.
A fitting of the aforementioned type is disclosed, for example, in German Pat. App. No. DE 44 41 159 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,407, where the driving element has an actuating cam and a retracting pawl. In this case, the actuating cam rests radially against an end of the bolt and drives the locking bolt radially outward into its locking position. The retracting pawl engages in a corresponding pocket of the locking bolt and returns the locking bolt from its locking position radially inward back into its release position. The locking bolt can be moved back and forth, thereby between its locking position and its release position, by an alternate actuation of the driving element in opposite rotation directions.
Further, a fitting is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,216 B2, where a driving element with a separate driving cam is provided, which drives a slide element transverse to the adjusting direction of the locking bolt. The sliding element has a retracting pawl and stop ramps, whereby the stop ramps in the interplay with the retracting pawl in the case of a lateral drive cause a back and forth movement of the locking bolt.
Further, a fitting of the aforementioned type is disclosed in German patent publication No. DE 10 2004 035 599 B3, which corresponds to U.S. Publication No. 20070145800, whereby to actuate the locking bolt a separate driving eccentric and a separate slotted disk are provided. The driving eccentric hereby drives the locking bolt radially outward into its locking position. The slotted disk works together with a pin of the locking bolt and returns the locking bolt from its locking position radially inward back to its release position. The locking bolt is moved back and forth thereby between its locking position and its release position by an alternate actuation of the driving element in opposite rotation directions.
Typically, a fitting of this type before its use is coated with a paint by a dip coating process, particularly by a cathodic dip coating process, to achieve a higher corrosion resistance. In this regard, penetration of the paint into the interior of the fitting must be prevented, because a paint that has penetrated also impacts undesirably the mechanical parts forming the locking mechanism. In this case specifically, the mechanical locking mechanism due to the applied paint may be formed merely insufficiently or not at all, so that in a locked fitting the transmissible torque can be reduced markedly. As a result, the crash resistance of the fitting no longer meets technical safety requirements.